October 5
Born Today:
Ida Rubinstein
Dancer and art patron Ida Rubinstein (1883-1960) performed with the original Ballets Russes from 1909-1911 before forming her own company. Using her considerable fortune, she commissioned work from famous composers Stravinsky and Ravel, and performed in and produced works created by choreographers Michel Fokine (1880-1942), Bronislava Nijinska (1891-1972), and Leonide Massine (1896-1979) until the outbreak of WWII. She is also memorialized in multiple portraits, figurines and costume designs by artists of the period.
Also Born Today: Ballet teacher Bella Malinka Dall (1922-2021) taught at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts from 1949 to 1981. Indian Kathakali dancer Mathoor Govindan Kutty (1940-2021) specialized in portraying female characters for six decades. American ballet dancer Richard Cragun (1944-2012) performed with the Stuttgart Ballet from 1965-1996.